List of counties in New York
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There are 62 counties in the U.S. state of New York.
The first 12 counties were created in 1683 soon after the British took over the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam; two of these counties were later abolished, their land going to Massachusetts.[1] These counties were carried over after independence in 1783, but most of the counties were created by the state in the 19th century. The newest county is the Bronx, created in 1914 from the portions of New York County that had been annexed from Westchester County in the late 19th century.[2] New York's counties are named for various Native American words; British provinces, counties, cities, and royalty; early American statesmen and military personnel; and New York State politicians.[3]
Authority
[edit]Excepting the five boroughs of New York City, New York counties are governed by New York County Law and have governments run by either a Board of Supervisors or a County Legislature, and either an elected County Executive or appointed county manager. Counties without charters are run by a Board of Supervisors, in which Town Supervisors from towns within the county also sit on the county Board of Supervisors. For counties with a charter, the executives generally have powers to veto acts of the county legislature. The legislatures have powers of setting policies, levying taxes and distributing funds.
Throughout the state, including NYC, the court system and public prosecution is primarily a matter of state law but is generally organized along county lines, chosen by county voters.
Five boroughs of New York City
[edit]Five of New York's counties are each coextensive with New York City's five boroughs. They are New York County (Manhattan), Kings County (Brooklyn), Bronx County (The Bronx), Richmond County (Staten Island), and Queens County (Queens). They are the smallest counties in New York by area.
In contrast to other counties of New York, the powers of the five boroughs of New York City are very limited and in nearly all respects are governed by the city government.[4] Some officials are elected on a borough-wide basis, the five borough presidents deal with Borough matters, while the district attorneys, and all county and state supreme court judges are generally concerned with the administration of state criminal and civil law and local ordinances in the county. There are no official county seats, but the locations of borough halls and courthouses bestow certain neighborhoods an informal designation as county seats within their boroughs:
- The Bronx County Courthouse and the borough's main post office are located in the Concourse section of the Bronx. The separate Bronx Borough Hall burned down in 1969.
- Brooklyn Borough Hall, the Federal Building and Post Office, and county Supreme Court are in Downtown Brooklyn.
- The Municipal Building, where the Manhattan Borough President's office is located, and most courthouses are in the downtown Civic Center. The General Post Office is in Midtown Manhattan.
- Queens Borough Hall and a courthouse are in Kew Gardens. Another major courthouse, post office, and the Long Island Railroad hub are in Jamaica. Queens also has general post offices in Flushing, Long Island City and Far Rockaway.
- Staten Island Borough Hall, three courthouses, and the St. George Terminal transportation hub are in the St. George neighborhood.
List of counties
[edit]Defunct counties
[edit]| County |
Created [2] |
Abolished [2] |
Fate[2] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County | 1772 | 1784 | Partitioned. Western part renamed as Washington County and eastern part transferred to Vermont. |
| Cornwall County | 1665 | 1686 | Transferred to the part of Massachusetts that later became the state of Maine and partitioned; one of the 12 original counties created in the New York colony |
| Cumberland County | 1766 | 1777 | Transferred to Vermont and partitioned |
| Dukes County | November 1, 1683 | 1692 | Transferred to Massachusetts; one of 12 original counties created in the New York colony |
| Gloucester County | 1770 | 1777 | Transferred to Vermont and partitioned |
| Mexico County | 1792 | 1796 | Never settled or incorporated, reallocated to Oneida, Oswego and Jefferson Counties. |
| Tryon County | 1772 | 1784 | Renamed as Montgomery County |
Proposed new counties
[edit]| County |
Note |
|---|---|
| Adirondack County | Would hypothetically consist of portions of northern Essex County and southern Franklin County[9] |
| Peconic County | Would hypothetically consist of the five easternmost towns in Suffolk County on Long Island.[10] |
Clickable map
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "The 12 Original Counties of New York State - Cliff Lamere". genealogy.clifflamere.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "New York Formation Maps". Genealogy, Inc. Archived from the original on December 30, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Beatty, Michael (2001). County Name Origins of the United States. McFarland Press. ISBN 0-7864-1025-6.
- ↑ Benjamin, Gerald; Nathan, Richard P. (1990). Regionalism and realism: A Study of Government in the New York Metropolitan Area. Brookings Institution. p. 59.
- ↑ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". US Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Find A County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ↑ Mitchell, George (1987–1988). The New York Red Book: An Illustrated Yearbook of Authentic Information Concerning New York State, Its Departments and Political Subdivisions and the Officials Who Administer Its Affairs (89th ed.). Albany, New York: Williams Press, Inc. pp. 987–988.
- ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: New York". U.S. Census Bureau. July 2025. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ Lynch, Mike (October 30, 2007). "North Elba Supervisor Candidate Debate". Plattsburgh Press Republican. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
- ↑ Healy, Patrick (February 11, 2004). "Growth Pains and Clout Heading East in Suffolk". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
Further reading
[edit]- "New York County Government Overview" (PDF). NACo County Explorer. 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2025. Cite has empty unknown parameter:
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External links
[edit]- "Counties" at NY.gov
Template:U.S. Counties Template:Administrative divisions of New York Template:New York